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CEERES, Area Centers in the UChicago News

The University of Chicago’s programs in area studies and language instruction have received support with a new cycle of Title VI awards from the U.S. Department of Education, totaling $8.8 million of funding. The awards allow the University to fulfill its commitment to excellence in language instruction and graduate education. They will support Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships for graduate students and four of the University’s centers for area studies.

Tom Maguire, associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, said the funding provides essential support for students whose studies require learning less commonly taught languages.

“The grant funding ensures that these languages are offered regularly and at a high level,” Maguire said. Without Title VI funds, he said, “Uzbek could not be taught; Armenian could not be taught.”

For some of the University’s Title VI language offerings, the less commonly taught designation is an understatement. For example, the University is currently the only institution in the United States where students can learn Georgian on campus.